PARTNER SUCCESS STORY: Forest Preserve: Net Zero Facility
Hardt Electric Helps Deliver a Net-Zero Future for Illinois Forest Preserve Using APsystems Microinverters
The Forest Preserve District’s largest site—spanning nearly 3,000 acres of protected land, trails, winter recreation areas, fishing ponds, and habitat for 24 threatened and endangered species—is now home to a state-of-the-art net-zero maintenance facility powered by APsystems technology.
As part of a comprehensive transformation plan launched in 2021, the District set out to build a new 9,800-square-foot facility that could operate entirely on clean energy. Meeting these ambitious goals required an experienced contractor capable of navigating both the technical demands of net-zero construction and the environmental protection standards of this sensitive site—including a nationally designated 70-acre bog.
Hardt Electric, a Chicago-based electrical contractor with over fifty years of service and more than two decades of renewable-energy expertise, led the design and construction of the solar system. The team engineered a 40 kW grid-interactive photovoltaic array designed to generate 100% of the building’s annual energy needs—and it’s already outperforming expectations.
Tight site constraints required the solar array to be installed within a restricted footprint and at closer-than-normal racking distances. By selecting APsystems microinverter technology, Hardt Electric ensured the system would continue to deliver maximum production even with intermittent shading and limited spacing. The microinverters’ ability to operate efficiently in higher-temperature environments with greater system reliability, their four-module input design, real-time monitoring capabilities and the safety features of the technology were key advantages in meeting the project’s performance goals.
“APsystems played a strategic role in maximizing the system’s output,” said Peter Hardt, President of Hardt Electric, in a recent discussion onsite with Teddy Hodges of TEDDY Talks. “With the environmental limitations we had to work within, microinverters gave us the flexibility, efficiency, and reliability this project demanded.”
The result:
A fully net-zero facility powered by a solar array that is already producing more energy than modeled—delivering long-term operational savings and a smaller carbon footprint for the Forest Preserve District.
This project reflects the growing trend of municipalities and public agencies turning to advanced solar technologies to meet sustainability commitments while protecting critical natural habitats. APsystems is proud to support Hardt Electric and the Forest Preserve District in realizing a cleaner, more resilient future for the community.
